Roller planet gear



Jan. 1, 1935.

R. ZAsToUPlL ROLLER PLANET GEAR Filed Feb. 25, 19:53

Patented 1, 1935 l' UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE y 1,986,177 ROLLER PLANET GEARv Robert Zastoupil, Vienna, Austria Application February 25, `1933, Serial No. 658,570 I n Austria. February 26, 1932 7 Claims. (Cl. 74-302) vThe invention relates to roller planet gears of cal extension 20 having a conical bore 21 to rethetype in which roller members disposed beceive the plug. This portion 20 is provided with tween two running surfaces co-operate with a slots 22. The plug 23 serves the purpose of driving cage, and in which the transmission of spreading the cylindrical portion 2p, the pressure 5 the friction-drive pressuretothe rolling elements being obtained by virtue of the fact that the 5 is effected by the spreading of the inner rotor tapered plug is made of greater thickness than ring. y the corresponding internal `diameter of the ex- The invention has for its object to improve tension 20. planet gears of this type by making it possible 'Ihe teeth 19 are inserted between each ball and to reduce the required friction-drive pressure, the next, these balls being arranged in the same l0 and also by making it possible to utilize normal manner as the balls shown surrounding the por- (purchaseable) roller bearings for the manufactiOn 011 the left in Fig. 2, ie- SO aS t0 run turing of the gears. In accordance with the inbetween an outer and an inner ring 24. The vention the driving cage is connected, for this slipping of the inner ring 24 on the portion 20 l5 purpose, to an extension portion which is split of the driving dog isrprevented by means of a l5 or slotted for the purpose of transmitting the collar nut 25 screwed onto the end. of this porfriction-drive pressure to the preceding series of tion 20. As the figures show, the collar nut 25 roller Moments. consists of a ring which is naturally spread. The Both this extension portion, which preferably ring 24 is also spread, so that it can be distended 20 consists of a slotted sleeve, and also the rotor outwardlyby the DreSSllre exerted hereOIl- 20 ring which is drifted on to this bush, and which Themde 0f Operation 0f the device can best is split or slotted for expansion in'a known manbe understood With reference t0 Fig. 3, in which ner, are adapted to be spread by means of a pressthe device is shown employed in duplicate. It iS ing 0r regulating member, vfm: example a, conical assumed that the drive S t0 be traIlSIlltted from 25 bolt (mandrel) or the like, pressure being therethe shaft 1. For this purpose this shaft 1 is 25 by exerted upon the rollers, provided at its end with a driving dog of the type The invention is illustrated, by way ofexample, described. This dog 19 when rotated will drive in the figures of the drawing, Fig. 1 showing the the balls in front of it. The balls are arrangeddriving member with a plugdisposed in its exas described abovebetween the inner ring 24 and tension. Fig. 1a is an end elevation of Fig. l. an outer ring. The outer rings comprised within 30 Fig. 2 the mounting of the driving member in the casing 4 are pressed together by an end nut the longitudinal section. Fig. 2a is an end View which closes the casing, and are thus positivelyv of Fig. 2. Fig. 3 shows a complete gear, in secunited. Since the plug exerts outwardly directed tion, embodying two driving dogs in accordance pressure upon the inner ring 24, which is rendered with the invention. Fig. 4 shows the complete capable of being spread, e. g. by being slotted, the 35 layout of a change-speed gear in accordance with balls will run on 'this inner ring, but will carry the present invention, in longitudinal section, and the outer ring along with them. The outer ring Fig. 5 the shape of the end portion of the driving takes the casing 4 along with it and rotates it. shaft appropriate to this gear, in transverse sec- Transmission of movement to the shaft 9 does not 40 tion. take place, i. e. this is the idle or neutral setting 40 If it is desired, for example, to convert an of the gear. already used ballor roller-bearing into a gear If the shaft 9 is to be driven, and that at a in accordance with the invention, the ball or higher speed than the shaft 1, the casing 4 must roller Cage iS removed, and an engaging Piece 19 be arrested i. e. prevented from rotating, by any inserted between each two balls or rollers. This suitable means. In this case the outer rotor ring 45 engaging Piece 19 Can take the 10.1111 0f a OOth is held fast by the casing, and the balls pressed on a member resembling, for example, a normal from the inside against the outer ring will -roll Claw-Cage If the ball-bearing CODCerned has, along this outer running surface, and will compel for example, six balls. a tooth is positioned bethe inner ring 24 to rotate.` since thetrans- 5o tween each two balls (Fig. 2)i. e. six teeth are mission of movement from the shaft 1 is effected 50 employed. Otherwise the number of teeth will through the intermediary of the balls, the speed depend upon the construction of the bearing used of rotation of the ring 24 is increased relatively in any particular instance. As above mentioned, to that of the shaft 1. Now since, in the example the claw-cage can be fitted with a plug 23 (Fig. 2), shown in Fig. 3, the ring 24 is likewise attached for which purpose it is provided with a cylindrito a claw-cage, this latter also rotates at a higher 55 speed,.and transmits its movement to a second series of balls, which is connected in parallel thereto, and which transmits to the shaft 9 connected therewith a speed of rotation which is still further increased relatively to the speed of the driving shaft. In accordance with thedescribed principle it will clearly be possible to provideas many such stages, each consisting of a ballbearing and a driving dog, as are necessary to obtain the desired transmission ratio. To the shaft 9 there is attached not a driving dog but a. member consisting of the extension .portion 20 and the plug 23.

' As will be clear from Figs. 4 and 5, the described gear can also be arranged to constitute a change-speed gear unit, and that by arranging for the driving shaft 1 to be horizontally slidable. The end portion of this shaft is hollow and of the cross-sectional shape shown in Fig.'5. This 'end portion of the driving shaft is provided with key projections 2l on its outer surface and with similar key projections 3 on its -inner surface. If desired, the shaft proper may be non-slidable and be fitted with a separate sliding sleeve having an end portion of the cross-sectional shape shown ,in Fig'. 5. The purpose of this shape is the The individual engaging pieces 5, 6 disposed in the casing 4 can be driven as required by the shaft 1 by'virtue of the arrangement that the keys 2 on the shaft 1 are thrust either into the corresponding grooves in the engaging piece 5 or into similar grooves in the engaging piece 6. With the position of the parts shown in Fig. 4 the engaging piece 6 is driven, since the keys 2 are in the grooves 7. In this case, therefore, the.

- engaging piece 6 will drive the ball race 8 and will rotate the shaft 9. If it is desired to changeover to a higher gear ratio the shaft 1 is moved to the left into the grooves 10 in the engaging piece 5. 'I'his engaging `piece 5 will then drive, the ball race 11, so' that the ball race 8 is now rotated at a higher speed than if the shaft 1 were caused to transmit its rotation directly to- 45 the engaging member 6.

If it be desired to establish a simple and direct coupling or interengagement of the shafts 1 and 9, the shaft 1 is moved to the right as far as isnecessary to bring the keys 3 into engagement `with the grooves 12 in the end 13 of the shaft 9.

If, on'the other hand, the shaft 1 be required to .runwiidle it is moved into a position in which in accordance with the invention, in a special l manner, the arrangement being such that there is associated, at one or more points, with the tapered extension 18 of the engaging member a tapered wedge-piece 15 which is held in position beneath the ring orrings 24 by means of screws, bolts, or the like 16 mounted in an annular member 14. By the screwing inwards of these screws 16 the wedge-piece is thrust towards the right and thereby caused to spread the ring. The tension can be regulated at will. The first engaging member 5 can run in an ordinary ball bearing 17. The number of the engaging members and ball races employed is unlimited and will be determined by the particular requirements in any instance.

, I claim:

1. A roller planet gear including a cage formed to drive a series of roller elements, said cage having an integral extension longitudinally slotted for expansion, and means for expanding the extension' to transmit the friction drive pressure to another series of roller elements rolling around said extension.

2. A roller planet gear according to claim 1, wherein the extension is in the form of a cylindrioal bush having longitudinal slots, with the interior of the bush substantially conical.

3. A construction according to claim 1, wherein the extension is in the form of a cylindrical bush formed with slots, with the interior space of the bush substantially conical, together with the provision of a regulating or pressing member to be tted within said bush.

4. A construction according to claim 1, wherein the extensionvis in the form of a bush having a conical bore, together with the provision of a regulating or pressing member in the form of a taper element corresponding to the taper of the bore.

5. A construction according to claim 1, wherein between the rollers and square extension of the cage there is provided' a rotor ring longitudinally slit to permit expansion, l

6. A roller planet gear consisting of a driving element and a driven element and including a plurality of cages, roller elements to be driven by said cages, means integral with the cages for transmitting the friction drive pressure from one roller'element to the preceding roller element, the driven member being integrally provided with a cage to co-operate with the adjacent roller elements.

- 7. A roller planet gear including a cage formed to drive a series of roller elements, said cage having an integral extension longitudinally slotted for expansion, and means for expanding the extension to transmit the friction drive pressure vto another series of roller elements rolling around,

said extension, said extension being in the form of a cylindrical bush having longitudinal slots,

with the interior of the bush substantially conical.' ,60 

